A Series of Drunken Events
by TheFellowshipReincarnate
Summary: Apoc. Pyro and Anne Shard decide to throw a party at the Green Dragon....it doesn't turn out how they planned it to be...
1. Of Preparations and Invitations

**_A Series of Drunken Events_**  
  
**Authors:** ApocalypticPyro & Anne Shard  
  
**Author's Notes:** This is the prequel to the Green Dragon Interlude written in Anne's fic "The Fellowship of the Fanfic Writers." This will (hopefully) be a few chapters long...if we don't run out of ideas.  
  
**Disclaimer:** We do not own any of the original LOTR characters. They belong to the wonderfully talented JRR Tolkien, and we'd never think of stealing his work.  
  
**Note for the Fangirls**: No members of the Fellowship or the general cast of LOTR were harmed in the writing of this fic...except Legolas, who was hit in the head with a broomstick (Pyro's fault!). But other than that, nothing serious...wicked grin  
  
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**Chapter 1:** Of Preparations and Invitations (Pyro's POV)  
  
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A party at the Green Dragon. At the time I thought it was a good idea. Little did I know the chaos that would ensue. But before we get into that issue, let me start at the beginning: the preparations.  
  
I should have heeded the warning the stars gave me. But no, the challenge that Linari had presented me with was torturing me, and my Elvish blood (all two drops) couldn't refuse to complete such a task. So, I, in my ignorance, began to organize a party at the Green Dragon.  
  
First were the invitations. Odeena had volunteered to help me, so together we planned who we would invite to the party. We decided on sending a general invitation to every nation under the sun. So, we hand-wrote every invitation in graceful calligraphy, and sent them out by messenger. Eventually, everyone had responded, except the dwarves.  
  
So far, so good, right? Wrong.  
  
The whole start of the trouble began when complaint letters began to fill my mailbox, and angry e-mails overloaded my account. Where were these letters and e-mails coming from?  
  
Three words for you: Angry, spiteful, dwarves.  
  
Apparently, the dwarves had never received their invitations, and were furious with us. The letters they sent were very graphic, depicting the horrible deaths that were going to come upon us accompanied by some colorful language. I hastily wrote back to them and explained that I was extremely sorry, and that I had sent them an invitation despite the fact that they never received it. I told them that I would send another as soon as possible, and then, to myself, swore vengeance on the 'by the hour' messenger that I had hired. Jerk. I knew I never should have trusted him.  
  
I quickly wrote up more invitations, and scared the living daylights out of the messenger by threatening him with locking him in a room with Gollum with a ring strapped around his neck. Let's just say that the angry e-mails stopped. Heh...  
  
But that was to be the least of my troubles. The real headaches happened when I was at the Green Dragon the night of the party and, to my horror, I discovered that Merry and Pippin had cleaned out the cupboards, so to speak.  
  
Now, usually I'm a pretty lenient person, but with all of the panic caused by the dwarves and the trauma of writing my US History paper, I was a hair from snapping. Unfortunately for Merry and Pippin, this is what pushed me over the edge.  
  
The busy barroom of the Green Dragon emptied in record time when I came storming out of the storeroom. I held an empty burlap sack with, "Mushrooms," inked on the front in one hand, and a broomstick handle in the other. Merry and Pippin cowered in front of me, clutching their tankards in front of them like tiny shields.  
  
"Did you do this?" I asked furiously. The two hobbits nodded meekly. Odeena peeked her head out from the kitchen door. She and Legolas were prepping the kitchen for the party.  
  
"Pyro, what's wrong?" she inquired, eyeing the broomstick handle in my hand. Merry and Pippin launched themselves at her, clinging to her legs.  
  
"Odeena! Save us!" sobbed Merry.  
  
"We didn't know they were for the party!" whined Pippin. I cracked my neck. Odeena glanced at me questioningly.  
  
"They've eaten everything for the party, Odeena. Everything!" I tossed the broomstick out the window like a javelin. A high-pitched screech came from the bushes just under the window. Legolas popped up, rubbing a large bump on his head.  
  
"What was that for?!" he shrieked loudly, glaring at me. I shrugged, folding my arms over my chest stubbornly.  
  
"I didn't mean to hit you...you just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time." I glared at him in return. "Besides, what are you doing out of the kitchen?" His cheeks colored.  
  
"Uh...I was uh..." He spotted Sam walking by and grabbed him. "I was recruiting extra help."  
  
"Gerroff me, elf!" shouted Sam, swinging at Legolas, who held the struggling Hobbit at arms length. "Lemme go!" Odeena rolled her eyes.  
  
"Legolas, let him go!" she said, prying Merry and Pippin off her legs. "And get back into the kitchen." Legolas dropped Sam and stalked off to the kitchen, muttering something about Elf Labor Laws. Sam sniffed at him and stormed off; we could still see him twitching from a mile away. Odeena rounded on Merry and Pippin. "Now, you two are to go home and wait for the party. Afterwards, you will be doing ALL of the dishes. Not to mention you owe everyone an apology." The two muttered 'Yessum's and left, chiding each other on the way out of the pub.  
  
I slumped back into a chair, rubbing my temples gingerly. "Now what are we going to do?" Odeena shrugged.  
  
"I have no idea, but I can't cook enough for everyone coming...not even with your help." The girl flipped a chair around and sat down, resting her arms on the back of the chair. "What do you think?"  
  
"Well, even if we could cook for all those people, we wouldn't have enough supplies. That's the main thing that's holding us back. We only have things like bread and corn left. Only grains." I sighed heavily, letting my head fall to the table in front of me.  
  
"How many people are we expecting?" asked Legolas, who appeared from the kitchen.  
  
"Over 100, and that's not including the Hobbits," stated Odeena, with a tired sigh. I wrung the burlap sack in my hands, ignoring the stinging pain the rough fabric caused against my palms.  
  
"What exactly do we have left?" persisted Legolas, taking a seat on top of the table.  
  
"Not much. Bread, corn, peas, carrots..." That was about all that was left from our supplies, and there wasn't much of those to begin with. "Maybe we could get the Hobbits to pitch in." Odeena perked up, snapping her fingers.  
  
"I know! What if we had a contest?" she asked excitedly. I raised an eyebrow. "What if we had a contest for the best dish? Then we wouldn't have to cook that much and we'd have enough to every one." I thought for a moment, then smiled.  
  
"It's brilliant! Send the word out immediately! Hobbits can't resist a contest like this." My grin turned into an evil smirk.  
  
Odeena grinned and dragged Legolas back into the kitchen. I went into the back storeroom and began pulling out what little supplies we had left.  
  
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**Author's End Notes:** Okay, that's chapter 1...what do you guys think? Anne is going to be putting up the second chapter as soon as she gets back from Italy... If you'd like to be incorporated into the story, let us know...and if you'd like something special done, let us know that as well, like if you want to meet a certain Fellowship member wink wink Anyways, review!!!!! Now!!!


	2. Haldir saves the Day

_**Disclaimer:** All the characters used in this story are property of J.R.R. Tolkien unless otherwise stated. In other words, no own, no sue. Thank you.  
  
**Author's Note:** Hi, Odeena here! Sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter... I'm in Italy right now, and I'm typing from a computer that is three times slower than Saruman when he holds a speech :) Please excuse any typos & mistakes_ ((Pyro in background I FIXEDED THEM!!! giggle))._ Huggies!  
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**Key:** Underlined = Pyro, _Italics = Odeena  
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_**Review responses:**_  
  
_Linari Tanis: ...err... thanks...?_ Pyro: LMAO!! I made her read it, Odeena...thanks Lin!   
  
_Crystalline4:_ _Well, as far as I'm concerned, you can be in the interlude for sure! I have to ask Pyro about it, too, though... Thanks for reviewing!_ Pyro: I think it's a great idea!! Haldir, eh? Hm...I think I can arrange that...wicked grin What would you like to be known as in the fic? Crystalline? Crystal? Crys? Let us know ASAP! And I'm thinking of putting you in my Enlgish Class in the next chapter (SPOILER!!!), if that's alright with you. Hope you like this chapter!  
  
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**_A Series of Drunken Events_**  
  
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_Chapter 2: Haldir saves the day...  
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(Odeena's POV)  
  
I could tell that Legolas was getting fairly annoyed. How? Simple. First, the tips of his ears were unnaturally red. Second, he was muttering stuff in both English and Elvish that would have made a sailor blush. And third, he was shooting deadly glares at me whenever he thought I wasn't looking.   
  
"Don't think I didn't hear that, elf," I said in Elvish as he hissed a particularly vicious insult. "Do you want a romance fic with Bugs Bunny?"   
  
"...no."   
  
"Do you want to get whacked over the head with a frying pan?"   
  
"No."   
  
"Do you want to sit in a fair and have fangirls kill you for a quarter?"   
  
He glared at me, "Don't push it."   
  
"Then quit muttering and make yourself useful, those whatever-we're- supposed-to-do won't cook themselves."   
  
"Fine..."   
  
Just then, Haldir popped in, and before anyone could stop him he took a handful of nuts from a plate and rushed off. Well, nobody would do that in my kitchen! I rushed and caught his wrist just as he was about to close the door... and as a result, my own hand got caught between the door and the frame.   
  
"_Ow!_" I yelled, so loud that Legolas dropped the cup he was holding and covered his ultra-sensitive Elven ears, while Pyro rushed in (nearly knocking me over) and asked what the heck was going on.   
  
"Haldir, you—" I stopped just in time, remembering that there were other people around me as well. "Get in the kitchen," I said instead.   
  
"But—"   
  
"_Now_."   
  
Haldir did as told, muttering all the way. _'Great'_, I thought. _'Here's another of those muttering elves. Seems to be a trend...' _  
  
"Pyro," I said aloud, "what else do we have besides grain?" Pyro bit her lip thoughtfully.   
  
"Not much," she answered. "Just a few vegetables..."   
  
"Merry ate those," Haldir cut in. "...right. Then we've got nothing else."   
  
"I have an idea," I said. "Haldir, you go in town and buy whatever you can find."   
  
"But—" Haldir began.   
  
"Take Pyro's car," I went on, ignoring him, "and Aragorn's credit card."   
  
"No way!" Pyro shouted. "I'm not handing my car to him! He doesn't even have a licence! And I don't have an insurance!"   
  
"...and I can't drive," Haldir added.   
  
"So, find someone who does and ask him to take you." I saw Boromir getting by and I said, "Someone like him."   
  
"Hell no! I'm not giving my car to—"   
  
"Pyro, be reasonable," I sighed. "Pretty, pretty, pretty please...?"   
  
Oh yes, my little 'I-beg-you' act. Pyro fell for it immediately. She sighed and handed the keys over to Haldir.   
  
"If you do as much as scratch it, I'll shave your head, dress you in my mother's bathrobe and hang you from Minas Ithil," she warned him. Then, she strode off.   
  
Boromir turned out to be more than happy to assist, and he half dragged Haldir out of the room. As for me, I winked to Pyro and returned to the kitchen, where Legolas was busying himself with a plate of oysters. I turned on the TV and switched to MTV.   
  
"I hate that music," Legolas complained.   
  
"Really...?" I asked, as innocently as I could.   
  
"Yes."   
  
"How can you hate _Evanescence_?"   
  
"Just like that."  
  
"Fine, elf." I turned up the volume, took a spoon and jumped on the table. Then, I began to make a very realistic Amy Lee imitation. I have to admit that, deep down, I felt a little sorry for the elf. I hoped that Haldir would come back soon – otherwise, I feared that Legolas was going to crack...   
  
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Alright, what do you think? Review, por favor! And do forget to request which characters you would like to meet!! Ciao!  
  
-AP and Odeena 


	3. Of School and Headaches

_Okay, there are disclaimers on the other two chapters, so read those.  
  
**Author's Note: **Just so you know, there's a reference to my other name that fits better than ApocalypticPyro in the fic, Dar Sala-at. Elladan uses it, and he's referring to me when he says it. Just so no one gets confused.  
  
**Request to meet the Fellowship! **_Review for us! And here are the review responses... err... I mean the review response, since only one person review... Come on people! Do the same!  
  
**Crystalline4: **_I'm glad you reviewed, and you like the story... From my part (Odeena), you can be in the interlude for sure! I'm glad you liked the last chapter There's a breif mention of you in this chapter and there's going to be more later. Hope you like what you see.  
  
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_**Chapter 3: **Of School and Headaches_  
  
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(Pyro's POV)  
  
Handing my brand new Nissan X-Terra over to Haldir and Boromir greatly disturbed me. Why oh why did I always fall for Odeena's begging? It's a sad truth, really...Anyways, I had silently vowed that if anything happened to it, Odeena, Boromir, and Haldir would all be skinned alive and dangled over Mount Doom.  
  
It was almost two hours before Haldir and Boromir returned from shopping, the back of my car loaded down with meats and vegetables. They had even picked up some fruit and a few deserts. As I helped them bring in the laden bags, I absently glanced at my watch.  
  
"OH NO!" I shouted, followed by various elven curses that I dare not repeat in this PG-13 rated fic. "I'm late!" I dropped the three bags I was carrying and snatched my keys from a very stunned looking Boromir.  
  
"Late for what?" he shouted after me as I dashed out the door.  
  
"School!" came my distant answer. I jumped into my car and sped off, cursing to myself.  
  
It was 11:30. School started at 9:00.  
  
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Ah...the boredom of English class...After that morning's adventures, English was even less appealing than usual. I was anxious to get back to the Green Dragon and see how Odeena was faring. Stupid school..._why _did I have to go today? I had perfect attendance so far and was at the top of my class. _Why?!_  
  
We were in the middle of an essay test on the most recent book we read, A Separate Peace (I, along with many of my classmates, firmly believed that Gene and Finny were not heterosexual, if you catch my drift). A few people from my class were coming to the party, such as Crystalline and Matt. Crystalline sat 5 seats and 2 rows in front of me. I could see her bent over her test diligently, her pen moving quickly and gracefully over the paper. Matt, too, was busy on his test, and he furrowed his brows in concentration as he wrote slowly.  
  
A sharp knock at the door startled me from my thoughts, as well as waking up a few sleeping students in the rows in front of me. My professor, Mr. DeVillers, looked up from the book he was engrossed in and scowled, walking to the door and opening it with a frown.  
  
"Yes?" he asked in his obnoxious southern drawl. Not that I have anything against people from the south...Most are quiet nice, but his voice was grating and nasal, something one grows to hate after a semester. "Can I help you?" I leaned towards the door to see who was there. Maybe someone had come to rescue me.  
  
I thought right.  
  
Elladan, Elrond's son and twin to Elrohir, stuck his head in, grinning.  
  
"I'm looking for Dar," he responded. "Early dismissal."  
  
"Do you have an excuse for her?" My breath caught in my throat. That elf better come up with a good excuse, and fast, because Mr. DeVillers didn't take light excuses and had been known to keep students back if he wasn't satisfied with the reason. Elladan's placid smile remained in place.  
  
"Doctor's appointment," he replied calmly, flashing a paper for the man to see. Mr. DeVillers narrowed his eyes, glancing from Elladan's face to the paper, and back to his face again. I thanked the Valor that no one could read Elladan's true emotions from his face.  
  
After what seemed like ages, Mr. DeVillers turned up towards the waiting students with a loud sigh and spoke.  
  
"Ms. Sala-at!" he called. I plastered a look of mock surprise on my face and responded as sweetly and innocently as I could.  
  
"Yes, Mr. DeVillers?"  
  
"Someone's here to take you to your doctor's appointment." His tone had a nasty edge to it. Elladan waved curtly from the door. I stumbled to collect my books and shoved them in my bag. I practically ran down the stairs, leaving my test on Mr. DeVillers' desk. Walking through the door, I smiled to my teacher, who scowled at me and walked back to his desk. I waved to Crystalline and Matt, mouthing, 'I'll see you later.' They nodded and waved, before returning to their tests. I slipped out the door and shut it as quietly as I could behind me.  
  
The elf's appearance startled me for a moment. He wasn't dressed in his usual elven attire, but in a white undershirt and a dark blue, short sleeve button down draped over his thin frame. He sported a pair of jeans and a pair of well-worn sneakers, and his hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail with the stray locks tucked behind his pointed ears. I finally snapped out of my daze and grinned up at him.  
  
"Thanks," I said, swinging my bag over my shoulder.  
  
"No problem, he responded, starting off down the hall after ruffling my hair. I scowled at him. "C'mon, you've got to get back to the Green Dragon." My eyebrows shot up as I followed him.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked in a demanding tone. He grinned back at me impishly.  
  
"Nothing bad, I promise...Or rather, too bad." He winked. I sighed again, hitting my forehead with the palm of my hand.  
  
I allowed Elladan to drive us home, with his favorite CD, the Trans Siberian Orchestra's _Beethoven's Last Night_, blaring in the speakers. We parked, and then started to walk down to the Green Dragon.  
  
The closer we got, the realization of what was going on hit me like the whole of the Dark Tower falling on my shoulders.  
  
The outer sidewall had been torn down, and the hobbits were building an outdoor tent-like...thing. I stared in horror and fell to my knees, which never actually hit the ground because Elladan caught me.  
  
As I stumbled down the hill with Elladan's support, Odeena came out to meet us. She had a huge smile on her face.  
  
"Thanks Elladan." She looked him up and down. "Nice outfit." He grinned.  
  
"Your welcome. I figured this would be a bit less conspicuous than my regular clothes, plus these are a lot more comfortable." He pulled a lock of hair out of his eyes. Odeena grinned and turned her eyes back to me.  
  
"How was school?" she asked, smiling brightly in that little way that always bugged the heck out of me when I was annoyed at her and she knew it. She had gotten awfully good at manipulating me lately. I scowled.  
  
"Just dandy," I replied dryly. I ran a hand through my hair and pointed to the action going down at the Green Dragon. "What's going on? When I left, the wall was still standing..." Another grin. By the Valor, I could learn to hate that look. "Please tell me it wasn't another of Legolas' bright ideas..."  
  
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_Ta da!!! The end!!! How do you like them apples? We're still taking requests to be in the story! You can meet anyone, you know...   
  
Review, por favor! _


	4. Nothing out of the Ordinary

_If you're searching for a disclaimer, then you're in the wrong chapter. Please refer to chapters one and two, thank you.  
  
**Odeena's Note: **Okay... before you come after me with knives, forks, and other pointy things, I want you to know I've been terribly busy in the past month, and that's why I didn't have time to write the fourth chapter. But, in the end... here it is! So, did you like it? Or didn't you? Please review! :)_

_**AP's Note: **Well, now that we have it (yay for Odeena!!! W00t!!!), here it is. Remember, we're still taking requests for character pairings. And Neniriel, Elladan is mine . But you can have the other twin. **Elrohir: Thanks for playing matchmaker, Pyro...-.-'** You're quite welcome. She seems like a nice girl so behave.  
  
__**Review responses  
  
midnittest4rz: **thanks for reviewing, and there is more coming! Would you like to be paired with a certain character? We can do that you know.  
  
**Neniriel:** Thanks Heh, it was hard for me to imagine it too, but for the sake of my sanity, I'm gonna let it go. Besides, it's always fun to stretch the imagination.  
  
**Crystalline4:** Alrighty then. Thanks for reviewing, oh faithful...person...O.o'''' Well, I remember you asking to meet Boromir or Haldir, so would you like to meet them both? and how susceptible to wine/ale are you?_**  
**  
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**Chapter 4:** (Almost) nothing out of the ordinary  
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_(Odeena's POV)_  
  
"Err..." I said as I desperately searched for something reasonable to say. I wished I could just blame everything on the elf like I usually do, but Legolas had taken advantage of the havoc that had ensured when the hobbits had taken down the kitchen wall and had run off. "...No, this wasn't another of the elf's bright ideas."  
  
I was hoping Pyro would settle for that. She didn't.  
  
"What happened then?" she asked again.  
  
I sighed. "Okay, if you really want to know it..." I took a deep breath. "First, Merry and Pip came by, and asked if we had any mushrooms. Even though we did, I told them we didn't, and so they ran off. Then, Frodo came looking for his ring, which he had misplaced again. After he turned the entire kitchen upside-down and--"  
  
"Forget _that_! Just tell me what in Middle Earth happened to the wall!"  
  
Uh-oh. Pyro was mad. That was _not_ good.  
  
"Well, if you really must know, a mob of eager-to-help hobbits came over about a quarter of hour after you left, and since the kitchen wasn't big enough to fit all of them, not to mention the supplies they had brought, they decided to build an adjacent tent."  
  
"And...?" Pyro demanded.  
  
"And... they didn't have a clear notion as to what 'adjacent' means, they came up with the brilliant idea to take down a wall and build that tent as you see it. So there."  
  
"Oh, Force..." Pyro rubbed her temples, and then sighed.  
  
"Aspirin...?" I offered innocently.  
  
Pyro threw me an 'I'm-gonna-kill-you' look. As if I had anything to do with all this. Okay... I could have stopped the hobbits, had I not been engaged in a long talk over the phone with Paul. Since we no longer saw each other except for classes, and we were still teamed-up for that chemistry project, we solved all our business over the phone. I didn't want to be around when the phone bill arrived. I could tell it was going to be _big_.  
  
"How did a bunch of hobbits manage to take down a concrete wall?" Elladan asked, rising an eyebrow.  
  
I held up a book. "With - this."  
  
"_Saruman's Do-It-Yourself Magic Guide for Idiots, Hobbits and Gollums_," he read aloud. "Interesting. Mind if I borrow that?"  
  
I glared at him, "No." I ignored the cute little pout on his face that usually got him everything he wanted and went on, "Bilbo Baggins had it. I have no idea where he got it, but I decided to take it away from him before he could do any _more_ damage."  
  
"And right you were," Boromir said from somewhere to my right. "Sorry if I startled any of you," he went on, "but I have an urgent message. Odeena, Paul's on the phone. _Again_."  
  
I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Can't you make up an excuse?" Elladan asked, before I got a chance to say anything. "Like you're off to fight a giant jelly-fish or something?"  
  
"Ha, ha." I said sarcastically. I turned to Boromir, "Tell him I don't want to talk to him."  
  
"I could always talk to him." A wicked grin spread across Pyro's face. "Threaten him with his life, I'm feeling a bit vengeful right about now, and he's done nothing but bother you..."  
  
Boromir just stared at Pyro for a moment, then turned back to me. "Sure..." His hand flew up to his brow in a military salute. "Oh, by the way," he said, seeming to remember something all of a sudden, "in three hours this place will be swarming. Are you sure we're going to be ready by then?"  
  
I sighed, "No."  
  
"Okay." With that, Boromir strode away.  
  
"Well," Pyro said in a miserable voice, "we'd better get back to work."

"What work?" I asked.

"I sincerely have no idea," came the reply.

"Right... In that case, I'll go get my guitar, then I'll go to the kitchen and sing for the hobbits. How about that?"

Pyro glared at me. "You're a nutcase."

I grinned widely.

"I know."  
  
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_Review!!! w00t!!!_


	5. Let the Party Begin!

_sigh must we write this every time? See the first two chapters.  
  
__**AP's Note:** Well, I'm glad to see that we have more reviewers now. This is good! Keep reviewing, and if you still want to be in it, there's still time.  
  
__**Odeena's Note:** Due to an acute lack of inspiration, I'll just say this: please read and review, and let us know if there's anything you want to happen or if you want to be in the story. Thank you!  
  
**Review Responses:  
  
Crystalline4:** Boromir and Haldir.....hm.....we'll have to check with them, but I'm sure it'll be fine Lucky you._  
  
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**Chapter 5:** Let the Party Begin!  
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_(Pyro's POV)  
  
_While Odeena went off to sing for the hobbits, Elladan and I scurried on down to the building, where the hobbits were working away. One of them came up to me, bouncing around happily.  
  
"Miss Pyro, Miss Pyro! Are you happy with the tent?" the little girl asked me, smiling brightly. It was Sam and Rosie's daughter, Goldilocks. Why they named her that, no one knows, but who's to argue? Sam would just get all huffy puffy about it. I plastered on a smile as I lifted her into my arms.  
  
"Of course. It's wonderful," I said, looking up at the tent with slight disdain.

"I helped build it!" she said proudly, puffing out her chest. I grinned.  
  
"Did you now? And what did your daddy say about that?"  
  
"He was happy. He thinks this party is going to be great fun!" Her eyes sparkled happily and I sighed.  
  
"Well, it will be, as long as everything runs smoothly." I twitched one of my ears, making sure she saw, and smiled at her. "I think I hear your mother calling." I set her down. "Better go see what she wants." The girl giggled and ran off, heading towards Sam's hobbithole. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. This was going to be harder than it seemed.  
  
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It was time. The guests had started arriving, and we had just barely made the deadline, thanks to Legolas. The elf showed up in the kitchen after my anger had settled down, and managed to kick the hobbits into working faster by threatening to burn their gardens. He had also helped with the building of the tent (I think Odeena forced him into it for disappearing).  
  
I had changed from my raggedy school clothes into a simple black shirt that read 'The Abstinence Syndrome' and a pair of jeans. Wine glass in hand, I was ready to start the party.  
  
The whole of Middle Earth had shown up for this party. Hobbits were swarming, elves were trying not to step on the hobbits, dwarves were avoiding the elves, and the humans were drinking more and more ale and wine.  
  
I sat at my respective table, a table shared with Elladan, Matt (who hadn't shown up yet), Aragorn, Sam, Rosie, and Frodo. There was one empty seat for anyone that would like to fill it. Rosie and Sam had put the children to bed and left them with a babysitter, so none of the kids were there. I could imagine Goldilocks putting up a fight about it, and Sam did look like he had lost a few clumps of hair…  
  
Odeena, sitting at the next table over, was sitting with a myriad of hobbits, Legolas, Crystalline, Haldir, and Boromir. The next table over hosted Gimli, his father Gloin, Lady Galadriel, Celeborn, Arwen, Eowyn, and Faramir. Yet another held Thranduil, Legolas's father, Elrond, Théoden, Gandalf, Saruman, Sauron's eye floated above the table, Bilbo, Merry and Pippin. They didn't really need a seat for Sauron, so Pippin had filled the empty space.  
  
Many other tables were filled with hobbits, elves, dwarves, and men, and all were seemingly getting along well with one another. Seemingly being the operative word.  
  
I looked around the room, then excused myself to go look around the tent area. I couldn't find Matt anywhere, and he had promised he would show up. I sighed heavily, and was about to turn when a familiar face caught my eyes…Paul. _Oh Force…Odeena's going to flip.  
  
_The young man glanced around at the people in the room, raised an eyebrow and shrugged, finally noticing Odeena and beginning to make his way towards her. The going was slow, considering how many people were there. I ran quickly to the table, pushing my way towards Odeena's side…and made it there before he did.  
  
"Odeena, I don't know how—" I began, before I was interrupted by a hateful stare from her to someone right behind me. I swallowed hard, and glanced up. Paul stood behind me, looking very nonchalant about the whole thing. I grinned sheepishly and stepped to the side. The whole room seemingly fell silent, or maybe I was just imagining it. Maybe she wouldn't be so hard on him…  
  
--------  
  
_(Odeena's POV)_  
  
"Oh – my – God." 

I did a double take. Then a triple take. There was no shadow of a doubt.

Paul was here.

Pyro looked at me miserably and mouthed the word, "Sorry". I shook my head. Like that would make any difference... I told the guys that I'd be right back and I sat up. Then, I went straight to Paul.

"What are you doing here?" I began, before he got the chance to say anything. "And how did you get past the bodyguards?"

"Oh, you mean Carl and Jim?" He shrugged nonchalantly. "I know those guys. We went to a martial arts class together."

"I... see. Well, I don't recall inviting you, so you might as well leave. _Now_." I waited a second; then, seeing as he did not move an inch, I added, "Before I feed you to my pet cave troll."

Much to my surprise and fury, Paul took out a folded card from his pocket and handed it to me with a ridiculous bow. "Read and cry."

I snatched the card from his hand and read it. It was an invitation, and I could clearly make out Pyro's handwriting. She was SO going to pay for this. Although I doubted that she had done it on purpose, I was still going to make her pay. "Well, since you _do_ have an invitation", I said coldly, "I suppose you can stay."

"Good! And since you're the only one I know, I guess I'll stick around with you!"

I smiled at him as sweetly as I could. "No, you don't. I don't mind you hanging around, as long as you keep your distance. But if you get anywhere near me, I'll have Aragorn and Boromir throw you out, and I don't care about any invitation in the world. Got it?"

I waited until he managed a small nod. Then, I turned my back on him and strode away.  
  
At that point, I only wanted one thing in the world: Pyro's head on a silver tray.


End file.
